For Christmas this year our WiseOceans Marine Educators put together an alternative 12 days of Christmas – a 12 days of fishmas if you will. Of course we couldn’t’ resist throwing in some great festive fishy facts too – you can learn whilst you sing!
On the first day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
A clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: The clownfish protects itself from the venomous anemone by a special mucus covering.
Click on the photo for a movie
On the second day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Moray eels move oxygen across their gills by opening and closing their mouths.
On the third day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Parrotfish live in harems with one male and up to seven females. If the male is to disappear the largest female will transform into the dominant male.
On the fourth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: The skeleton of an eagle ray is made from cartilage.
On the fifth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Between the five of us, one of us plays the trombone, one of us enjoys hula-hooping, one of us used to be a majorette, one of us can lick her own elbow and the other can ride a motorbike
Click on the photo for a movie
On the sixth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: The gender of a turtle is determined by the temperature of the nest. Hotter eggs result in girls and cooler eggs turn into boys
On the seventh day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
SEVEN sharks a swimming.
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Sharks skin is rough and covered in tiny teeth known as dermal denticles.
On the eighth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
EIGHT squids a inking.
SEVEN sharks a swimming.
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Squids have three hearts.
On the ninth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
NINE groupers greeting.
EIGHT squids a inking.
SEVEN sharks a swimming.
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Groupers swallow their prey whole after sucking them in and grasping with the teeth that cover their jaws, tongue and palate
On the tenth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
TEN dolphins leaping.
NINE groupers greeting.
EIGHT squids a inking.
SEVEN sharks a swimming.
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: Dolphins sleep by resting one side of their brain at a time. This allows them to continue rising to the surface for air and keep an eye open for predators.
Click on the photo for a movie
On the eleventh day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
ELEVEN pipefish piping.
TEN dolphins leaping.
NINE groupers greeting.
EIGHT squids a inking.
SEVEN sharks a swimming.
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: The eggs of pipefish are attached to an external abdominal pouch of males.
On the twelfth day of Christmas WiseOceans gave to me,
TWELVE sergeants shoaling.
ELEVEN pipefish piping.
TEN dolphins leaping.
NINE groupers greeting.
EIGHT squids a inking.
SEVEN sharks a swimming.
SIX turtles hatching.
FIIIIVE wise staff.
FOUR eagle rays.
THREE parrotfish.
TWO moray eels.
and a clownfish in an anemone.
FESTIVE FACT: A school and a shoal are both collective nouns for fish. A school indicates coordinated behaviour, whilst a more social gathering is known as a shoal.
For the full version just click & sing along!
